Clark launches line of internal combustion lift trucks

Lift truck maker Clark Material Handling Co. said Tuesday it had launched a line of internal combustion-powered lift trucks intended for global markets.

The S-Series family of forklift trucks includes models powered by liquid petroleum gas (LPG, also known as propane), dual fuel (either gasoline or LPG), and diesel, Lexington, Ky.-based Clark said.

Design elements for data capture and analysis include interactive on-board diagnostics and engine/powertrain protection monitoring. The lift trucks also feature safety functions such as automatically applied parking brake, speed-limit control, optional rear-view camera, and a center of gravity designed to maximize truck stability, the company said.

Additional driver safety features include low brake-pedal effort, convenient hood-mounted levers, reduced noise and vibration, and easy on-off access, Clark Senior Vice President of Global Engineering Chuck Moratz said in a statement.

Also this week, Clark announced that Scott Johnson, Clark's vice president of sales and marketing, has been elected the new chairman of the board of directors for the Industrial Truck Association (ITA), an industry group representing industrial truck manufacturers and suppliers of component parts and accessories that conduct business in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.